- Chimp Haven
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Chimp Haven, the National Chimpanzee Sanctuary 
Date opened April 2005 Location Keithville, Louisiana
United StatesLand area 2 hectares (4.9 acres) Coordinates 32°15′16.76″N 93°56′12.00″W / 32.2546556°N 93.93667°WCoordinates: 32°15′16.76″N 93°56′12.00″W / 32.2546556°N 93.93667°W Number of animals >100 Number of species 4 recognised:
troglodytes verus
troglodytes troglodytes
troglodytes schweinfurthii
troglodytes vellerosusMemberships Association for the Assessment and Accreditation for Laboratory Animal Care, International. Website chimphaven.org Chimp Haven, the National Chimpanzee Sanctuary is a species-specific facility designed to provide a home for chimpanzee that offers an environment that stimulates behaviors similar to those in the wild. Initial residents will be individuals former medical research subjects with future plans to include those from the entertainment industry and pets. The sanctuary opened in April 2005 and currently now houses more than 100 individuals in forested habitats. The 2 hectares (4.9 acres) sanctuary is located in the Eddie D. Jones Nature Park in Keithville, Louisiana, approximately 22 miles southwest of Shreveport. The haven is famous for its use of the font "Papyrus" in its logo.
Contents
History
Chimpanzees have been utilized in the exploration of space[citation needed] and the advancement of medicine[citation needed]. However advancing technology meant that fewer chimpanzees are now needed in these fields[citation needed], and many that were bred to be used as such are no longer needed[citation needed]. There were too many to be taken in by zoos[citation needed], so in 1995 the Chimp Haven organisation was founded, with the aim of providing sanctuary to the increasing number of chimpanzees no longer needed for their original role.
In 1997[citation needed], a report by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) into the management of chimpanzees used for medical research concluded that long-term care facilities were the best and most cost-effective solution for chimpanzees no longer needed in medical research.[1] In 2000 the Chimpanzee Health, Improvement, Maintenance & Protection (C.H.I.M.P.) Act was passed giving support for chimpanzee sanctuaries such as Chimp Haven.[2] The Act stated that funding was to come partly from the NIH and partly from private donations.
In 2002, as provided under the CHIMP Act, the NIH selected Chimp Haven to build and operate the national chimpanzee sanctuary system. Although the NIH underwrote a portion of the sanctuary’s construction and operating costs, Chimp Haven was required to raise matching funds, as well as carry the full responsibility for education and outreach programs. The latter is extremely important, as wildlife and conservation education are incumbent upon any animal stewardship organization, including sanctuaries.
Present day
The land for the National Chimpanzee Sanctuary was donated to the Chimp Haven organization by Caddo Parish, Louisiana.[3] After several years construction, Chimp Haven accepted its first individuals, Rita and Theresa, in April 2005, both formerly remployed in NASA space programs.[4] They were soon followed by dozens of others from several large research facilities.
Education is seen as the most important aspect of Chimp Haven. In 2005 the Chimpanzee Trails project was started, allowing the public to access certain areas of the sanctuary and learn about the chimpanzees.[5] Open days are held once a month so the public can see the chimpanzees at large in their habitats. Veterinary students also frequently visit the facility to learn how to care for chimpanzees.
As part of the original CHIMP act, chimpanzee breeding was put on hold for a period of five years. In 2005 the National Institutes of Health converted this into a permanent ban on breeding chimpanzees for any kind of research in the United States.[6] This will hopefully ensure that sanctuaries such as Chimp Haven will be less needed in the future, however the work they do in looking after rescued chimpanzees (for which they receive no government funding) and in educating the public will continue to be important.[citation needed]
References
- ^ NCRR - National Center for Research Resources (2008). "Chimpanzee Management Program". The National Institutes of Health. http://www.ncrr.nih.gov/comparative_medicine/chimpanzee_management_program. Retrieved 2008-08-17.
- ^ Flourishing Finish to the 106th Congress. 50. Animal Welfare Institute Quarterly. 2001. Archived from the original on 2008-05-12. http://web.archive.org/web/20080512080816/http://www.awionline.org/pubs/Quarterly/winter2001/congress.htm#chimpact. Retrieved 2008-08-17. Flourishing Finish to the 106th Congress, Animal Welfare Institute Quarterly, Winter 2001
- ^ BBC writers (15 May 2000). "Chimp haven moves ahead, Claire Imber". BBC News. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/749386.stm. Retrieved 2008-08-17.
- ^ Charles Siebert (24 July 2005). "Planet of the Retired Apes". The New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/24/magazine/24CHIMPS.html. Retrieved 2008-08-17.
- ^ "Chimp Haven Grand Opening Celebration". Ursa International. 29 October 2005. http://www.ursainternational.org/Chimphaven.html. Retrieved 2008-08-17. Chimp Haven Project Brief - including map of site with Chimpanzee Trails area marked, URSA International
- ^ Michelle Kosinski (25 May 2007). "A Chimpanzee's Golden Years". The Daily Nightly. http://dailynightly.msnbc.com/2007/05/a_chimpanzees_g.html. Retrieved 2008-08-17.
External links
Chimp Haven at the Ursa International website includes images, maps, design plans
Categories:- Organizations based in Shreveport, Louisiana
- Organizations established in 2005
- Primate sanctuaries
- Buildings and structures in Caddo Parish, Louisiana
- Visitor attractions in Caddo Parish, Louisiana
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